Overcoming Chaos
by Pareidolic Ink
Summary: Chapter Two Up! Sequel to Lulu White's Silent and Still. During the Dark Tournament, Kurama is raped by Toguro and Karasu to hurt Yusuke. Kurama prevents Yusuke from finding out while dealing with his turmoiled emotions.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own _Yu Yu_ _Hakusho--_ It belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi, or at least I think it does. It's 5:35 AM after a sleepless night, and this would-be author's brain has melted in the heat. 

Author's Note: This is a sequel to Lulu White's "Silent and Still." "Silent and Still" is a rapefic, focusing on Kurama being raped by Toguro (the younger) and Karasu. They do it under orders of Sakyo, because apparently the Toguro team leader has evidence that Yusuke lusts after Kurama, and he believes that Yusuke seeing Kurama's battered, broken body after he survives Genkai's final test will dampen his spirit and give the Toguro team the advantage. The story is linked in my profile but please read the warnings. It is a strong NC-17. Besides that, it is a tremendously powerful story that can possibly reap immense psychological impact on the reader.

About the story: During "Silent and Still", I was struck by the interaction between the characters. You really need to read the story, but the gist of it can be understood without. Toguro does not approve of the rape, but he takes Kurama and does not let Karasu do as he pleases. In the end, Toguro aborts the plan and takes Kurama to his hotel room after wrapping him in his coat. Kurama was utterly traumatized at the end, so the events in his mind that occurred at the very end of "Silent and Still" are a blur in his mind, though he does come to the conclusion that Toguro did bring him back. This prevents anyone from knowing about the rape except Kurama, Toguro, Sakyo, and Karasu.

This story will center on Kurama, but I might shift to another person's point of view. I'm itching to do Toguro's POV, because I believe he was also profoundly affected. I plan to show how Kurama eventually comes to terms with his feelings, because that is always the hardest part, isn't it? I apologize if he does not act like the typical rape victim, and I know this is a sensitive topic, but he is an immensely strong character, and he is trying to hide the rape from everyone. He is struggling to act normal.

This chapter of the story is a bit confusing because I tried to portray Kurama's confused mindset. It mostly follows his thoughts, but I can't write in first-person without it sounding very stupid, so this is my best attempt at getting into Kurama's mind. If you have any questions, ask, and I will probably answer. I apologize for the marathon author's note, but it needed to be said.

Overcoming Chaos: Chapter One

By Pareidolic Ink

Sequel to "Silent and Still" by Lulu White

Posted July 3, 2003

Inky nightmares hovered in the dark room poised on the threshold of dawn, enclosing the delicate, shattered figure of the boy in the horror of reliving the events that had reduced him to such a state scant hours ago.

A shaft of bright light pierced the somber drapes, spreading to illuminate a lone corner of the room.

There was only silence.

The tears had ended hours ago. The vividness of the images refused to retreat in the face of the inner strength that had always aided him in battle, and there was nothing he could do.

Absolutely nothing.

His strength had abandoned him.

A sudden slamming of a door in the hallowed corridor shattered the depressed sobriety that had fallen over the room. The never-ending cycle of images was interrupted as Kurama's stomach lurched. What if someone came to look for him? It would hardly take a genius to realize, or at least suspect, what had happened. And if Yusuke found out?

He would never forgive himself.

Yusuke, despite the apparent independence, thrived within a group. And the Urameshi team, despite the initial hostility, had developed a tangible closeness. He fought not for himself, but for others. His love for Keiko had fueled him before, and now the impending threat on all those held dear to him was enough to give him a reason to fight.

_"Urameshi cares for you."_

It shocked Kurama.

Yusuke was in love with Keiko, and that was that. There was no room for nonconformist thought on that issue. The end. C'est la fin. Case closed.

Where had the possibility even come from? Could Yusuke harbor secret feelings for his redheaded companion? The implications of the statement were beyond comprehensible for Kurama's pained, skittish mind, and he banished the thought even as it grew sharp claws and dug into the malleable mental tissue, refusing to leave him completely.

It would not be easily dismissed.

Loud voices in the hallway startled him, the panic once again seizing him. The constant, bare weariness borne of pain and shame granted him a temporary reprieve as he fought to sit up.

He noted the offending shaft of light.

And the anguish clamped down on his body, a gasp tearing from his raw throat as his pale form trembled, trying to accommodate the soreness. He wouldn't be able to sit properly...

And that was the least of his worries.

Yusuke could not discover this under _any_ circumstances.

If he found out, they won.

And even if they managed to break him, they would not break Yusuke.

Kurama wrapped his arms around his waist, biting his lip as he lowered his head to his chest in a preferred thinking position. _Yusuke..._

And he began shuddering. Tremors vibrated through tense muscles, failing to cease as Kurama stared in horror at himself.

Toguro's coat.

He numbly searched his memory for any recollection of how he came to be in the coat, but it failed him, leaving him to helplessly stare at the seemingly innocent garment. What did this mean?

Had Toguro carried him back here? But why would he even do something like that? Little was known about the man, yet humans and demons alike feared him for his sheer power.

He was intimidating.

Kurama had succumbed against his will. His pride, his dignity, his strength had been torn from him.

By Toguro... and Karasu.

_Long pale fingers threaded through the crimson strands, tightening to a vicious yank. Kurama's head was jerked up, teary eyes glazed with pleasure and humiliation meeting the smug violet even as throaty gasps were torn from him by the sharp angle of Toguro's thrusts._

_Karasu smirked down at the redhead, cackling, mocking laughter stripping down any sanctity that remained within his mind and forcing him to respond to the brutality of the madman's sharp, rapid movements. _

His consciousness was dangled over the chasm of insanity.

He would have fallen, had it not been for Toguro.

The thought lingered in his mind, a new wave of shame flooding through his nervous system. _To find comfort in him_... His hand came up to shield his eyes, the dry heat of tears needing to be shed itching in the back of already-swollen eyes. But there was only burning, his hands coming away dry.

He had no tears left to shed, and he desired the mental abandon found within an act borne of desperation.

There would be no solace for him.

The shame remained.

And he was soiled. His face and thighs were sticky, and the urgent need to physically cleanse himself asserted itself with all the strength of a conflagration, tempering the torrent of other emotions that warred for dominance within him.

His hands fisted in the sheets, muscles in his arms tightening as he pushed himself to his feet. Both hands immediately shifted to grip the bedside table as he wavered unsteadily, useless legs threatening to crumple beneath him.

His body ached as he took first steps, trembling like a young child learning to walk. The pale blue walls aiding his path to the small, attached bathroom were smooth with a subtle hint of texture under the pads of his trailing fingers, the texture changing abruptly as they hit the rough wood of the doorframe. The dark carpet under his bare feet gave way to slick cream tiles.

Shadowed emerald eyes stared back at him, the soft skin around the eyelids swollen by tears. His hair was tangled and matted, the luster and vibrancy notably absent.

Eyes still blank, he lightly touched the smear by his mouth.

He turned away, features twisting into a grimace. Completely disgusting. He was disgusting.

Keeping his face carefully averted from the cruel silver surface of the mirror, he stepped out of Toguro's coat. It had been haphazardly wrapped around the boy, tan folds now hanging loosely around the slender torso after the prior exertions. Hanging it behind the bathroom door, he stepped into the shower.

The warm water ran swiftly across his skin, sending tingles to his woefully worn nerves. It was a pleasant sensation.

It would take more than this to feel clean.

For now, his mind was blissfully blank, distracted by the well-known movements of washing his hair and scrubbing his body.

Slim, slightly calloused fingers slid through the scarlet mass, working the shampoo through the twisted gnarls to massage the scalp.

It was a vaguely sensual gesture.

_Enormous hands ruffled the blood-red locks before flipping the boy onto his back..._

_Trailing strands swept across Kurama's back as they were moved aside to allow the man access to kiss the boy's ear..._

_Light wisps were blown aside by Toguro's heavy breath as Kurama's name was moaned against his neck..._

His hands jerked back from his head, a whimper on his lips. These feelings were so wrong...

The images stirred his body, tossing aside the intense loathing that he had believed he should feel. He _should_ hate them with every thought and action. He _should_ desire revenge.

His subconscious did not agree.

Kurama tiredly closed his eyes, allowing the ferocious sensations to augment without resistance. How could he respond like this to Toguro?

_"I won't let him take you, boy. Not the way he wants to. That's the best I can do for you."_

The man had prevented Karasu from having his sadistic way with him.

Kurama suppressed a shudder. It could have been so much worse, had the crow been allowed to do as he desired

Toguro had protected him. It was an amazingly uncharacteristic gesture for the unscrupulous man, one that no one would believe possible. It made one doubt the veracity and import of common sense. But then again, what value was such a thing when buried in the submission of violation?

Common sense would not say that Toguro would minimize the pain of an act that was necessary to him to accomplish, would it? It was only a job to him, a mission that had to be carried out to the orders of Sakyo in order for him to accomplish his goal.

Yet he had.

_His body rocked in unconscious time to Toguro's hand. His breath came in ragged pants and deep sighs. He was suspended in a heaven/hell composed of unwilling pleasure and evil mocking laughter._

The man had done his best to arouse him. And unfortunately, he had succeeded.

His hands returned to their task, the foam thickly covering his hair before it was beaten away by the cleansing water. The bath sponge was absently seized by the distracted boy.

Toguro did not conform to the typical image of a brutish predator.

It was only natural that Kurama's victimized emotions refused to behave typically.

They defied the bounds of logic, and refused to disappear, or even change. They flitted around the edges of rationality, teasing and taunting him with their very existence.

But they could be accepted, if only for the lack of horror and disgust in their possession.

The act was done, but the gleeful dominance was conspicuously absent. Toguro had to forcefully take Kurama, but he did not have to lord the pleasure of his motions over the bowed redhead. And that was precisely the origin of difference in his reactions to the two.

Kurama's grip on the sponge tightened in response to the turn of his thoughts.

Horror and disgust belonged to the other.

The taunts, the mockery, the laughter. The insanity. They solely belonged to the demon.

Karasu only inspired hatred within him. A swift death would be too good for that creature. He deserved agony.

Kurama flinched, his alertness reverting to the shower at the sudden prickles of pain. His skin was raw, reddened by his efforts to scrub off all remnants of the madman.

How fitting.

Attempting to step out of the shower gracefully, Kurama forcefully squashed the instinct to wince at the pain that had thankfully been subdued during this first attempt at cleansing. A tiny glimmer of satisfaction snuck across his features as he glanced at his image in the mirror and picked up the hair brush.

After all, he did have to look immaculate, as always. Someone may notice if even a hair was out of place, and the chance could not be taken. The stakes were too high. _For Yusuke..._

The deceitful skills of the fox would be displayed for the world to see. If craftiness and slyness were still in his possession, it would indeed be an elite show.

A show so elite that the audience was not even aware of any foolery.

An illusion worthy of a master trickster like the youko.

Bitterness rose at the thought. His youko half had not been able to help him last night. What good would it do now?

But it was his only hope of salvation as well. The youko spirit within him would shield the weak human from the emotions that threatened to overpower him at every moment. His humanity craved comfort and warmth after such an event, but it was only a forlorn hope.

How very ironic. _His first true encounter with Yusuke_.

A loud knock on the door threw Kurama out of the cloud of reminiscence. _The contact he was dreading had to come sometime_... Forcing an artificial smile onto his face, he dropped the thick brush on the vanity counter with a satisfying clatter. He padded to the door, occupying his hands with draping the short towel about his slender hips.

Botan's cheerful face greeted him through the peephole. Kurama opened the door to the Grim Reaper, thankful that she did not know him well enough to sense any problems in his facade.

But then again, how many people really knew him that well?

He smiled down at the deity, fighting the sudden surge of loneliness that threatened to wipe the smile off his face. Very few people were close to him, and due to the circumstances, the only ones who did know him to some degree could not be told.

"Kurama!" Pink eyes widened at Kurama's state of undress. Botan blushed before averting her stare.

Kurama watched her with a hint of nervousness. He had been too preoocupied to search for his misplaced robe. What had possessed him to walk to the door without it? What if someone else had been at the door? Not that the robe would have been much help, but still...

Fear clenched his stomach as his mind turned to the sadistic Karasu.

But his fear of the madman was nullified by Botan's next words, as an even greater fear grew.

"Yusuke's back! And he's fine!"

Nodding silently with a smile still set on his face, he closed the door.

Kurama stared across the room to the curtained windows. How would he react to the boy now, that the possibility of something more than a friendship had been awakened?

---

Please Review! Now that I have actually written it, I would like to know what people think. I'm not a writer at heart, but I do love the story "Silent and Still" and I have been obsessing over this sequel for the past 2-1/2 to 3 months. Once again, I plea for reviews!


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer-- Yoshihiro Togashi owns _Yu Yu Hakusho_, not me. 

Story Note: This is slightly alternate universe. "Silent and Still" takes place after the semifinals with the Uratogi team and presumably after the Toguro team fights the next day. So Yusuke gets back after the whole thing is over. Basically, the cave test is extended by about a day, and for the purposes of my story, I'm extending the period between the semifinals and the finals by quite a bit. What fun would it be if Kurama kills Karasu without enough time to fully understand his thoughts?

Author's Note: I finally finished my second chapter. It starts right where the first chapter ended, and it was so hard to write properly! Quite frankly, I don't like it at all. It's just missing something, but I'm not sure what, or even if it really is missing something. I do have the tendency to criticize everything, and it gets me in trouble some days.

Now, I'm going to be gone for a few weeks, so I won't be able to update in that time since my grandparents don't have a computer, and I'll be leaving for college three days after coming back, so I don't know when I'll next have the time to update. But it's going to get better next chapter-- hopefully!

Thank you to all my reviewers and all those who e-mailed me as well! I think I've responded to most via e-mail, but some didn't leave an address, so I didn't get the chance to send my personal thank you messages. Reading all of your wonderful comments really helped me in this chapter, considering I've had so much trouble with it!

Here's the chapter for all those who requested it!

Overcoming Chaos: Chapter Two

By Pareidolic Ink

Sequel to "Silent and Still" by Lulu White

Posted July 26, 2003

The early flushes of dawn's light filtered through the lace curtain underlying the heavy navy drapes, infusing the bedroom and conflicting with the settled blackness. The patterned, filigree mosaic of light and dark smoothly glided across the walls and floor, casting the boy's effeminate face in alternating patches of shadow, serving only to accentuate the brightness of wide, anxious eyes and the taut set of muscles around slightly parted lips. Breath flowed from the soft mouth in rapidly panted gasps, hands sporadically clenching and unclenching against slim thighs.

He was prey, a hunted animal subject to the terror of being pursued by something entirely unwanted. _Or maybe only partially..._

Kurama's chest heaved spasmodically as he forcefully calmed himself, shoving down the confusion that was spiraling greater with each passing moment. The knowledge of Yusuke's return brought back in full force the question of the other's feelings toward him.

_And any thinking along that path naturally ended in confusion._

Kurama rose from his kneeling position, attempting to leave behind the submission that was characteristically linked with such a posture.

The minute victory of standing was immediately smashed, a choked sound fleeing his throat, the soreness of cramped thigh muscles compounding the constant, searing ache of the previous night.

How long had he been cowering?

Revulsion filled narrowed eyes-- he was weak, terrorized by physical discomfort and emotional disarray. Indeed a sad state for a creature that had once been venerated and feared as the Quicksilver Thief of Makai, boldly beautiful and impossible to hold by any demon.

And the impossible had been done. The body of Shuuichi Minamino effectively trapped the Youko power within him, a spectacularly lovely shield that was both praised and cursed by the protected fox demon.

Youko Kurama would have died without the human body. By partially merging with the human soul, his life had been saved.

At the cost of his formerly limitless energy.

The power tapped his senses, yearning to return to its master. But the human body could not channel such a force, and so it always remained, an irritating reminder of all that had been lost.

_It had not been worth it..._

Obvious human frailties bared by anguish obscured under the Youko's detachment from all that detracted from the goal-- it had been a wonderful fallback during his lone thieving days.

It would mask him now, perhaps subduing the volatility that people tended to resort to in times of crisis.

But how long would a Youko's deception last when poisoned by inner human caprice strengthened by growing fragility?

And what, exactly, was he attempting to achieve through all this?

His legs stiffened beneath him, straightening his posture into what might have been normal.

_He could no longer define normality._

The closet doors squeaked as he pulled them open to search through the few sets of Chinese fighting clothing he had brought.

A shiver agitated his wary muscles as his eyes fell on a set frighteningly similar to what he had been wearing _before_.

_The fabric stung his legs as Toguro tore his pants off him by brute strength._

_His tunic was being pulled off over his head, fancy buttons catching several strands of red hair in a final, painful yank._

He shook away the shiver. He was so weak...

But he could not fail his mission. It was a lesson learned long ago, one that had been further fortified by Yusuke's examples. The human boy never gave up, his perseverance admirable for any life form on any world.

And he cared so much...

He had been willing to sacrifice his own life for someone he had just met.

After the battle with Touya, Yusuke would have given up everything for him. And he had so much to lose...

_How could someone so selfless not touch him?_

That was precisely why he must never know.

Yusuke's physical and spiritual strength was immeasurable. But he was very emotional. _He cared_ _too much_.

He had paid Yusuke back for the mirror incident. But he had not yet reciprocated the rescue from Bakken.

So now, he would redirect all his energy to protect him from the devastation that such knowledge would surely wring from the boy.

That was the goal. It was all for Yusuke.

And at the same time, his guise of strength and peace would be saved in the eyes of almost everyone.

Kurama glanced at his reflection in the full-length mirror with the nonchalant eyes of the Youko, taking in the loose attire, the raw pink of scrubbed skin, and the veil of damp, wavy hair.

He looked as he always did. Perhaps that was the stem of his troubles.

Never had he imagined that a human could compare in beauty to the famous Youko. _But this human was an exception_.

Demons had feared the Youko for his strength, and few dared to gaze upon the wild, untamed beauty. But Shuuichi Minamino was a different story. His beauty was warm, gentle, and delicately human.

Kurama was still as beautiful as his demon form, but he did not have the immense power needed to back the attractive features. The power to protect him, to make him... _untouchable_.

He was defenseless. An easy victim to all that lusted after his fragile, perfect form.

And there was nothing he could do about it. After all, he did not intend to be beautiful.

It was etched in every slope of pale, creamy flesh, every flicker of light in brilliant, shimmering eyes, every fleeting movement of lean, sinewy muscle. Something as simple as a haircut would not take it away.

A fluttering sigh rolled from his throat as he gingerly stalked over to the door. Every possible course of action that may alleviate the tumult yielded an impasse.

His inattentive gaze caught a glimpse of tan through the bathroom door and the wall. His face froze, breath immediately quickening.

What should he do about Toguro's coat?

The physical remnants of the encounter had been ameliorated, but some things still remained. Dazedly, he pulled the coat down, tentatively bringing the coarse fabric to his nose. He winced at the microcosm of scents captured by the weighted fabric.

_Fear. Panic. Guilt. Confusion._

Traces of everything he had felt since the previous night had soaked into the coat, leaving an agonizingly accurate timeline of the spontaneous journey through all distressed feelings known to the kitsune.

He should get rid of it.

_It was never that simple._

But something had to be done. Anyone with a superior nose would immediately know that something was wrong. Not to mention that it was unique and undeniably connected to Toguro. Yusuke and Kuwabara would immediately recognize it, and Hiei would be able to sniff everything out.

It had to be hidden, although Kuwabara and Yusuke seldom ventured into his private quarters.

Hiei would often visit him in the evening, to discuss the upcoming fight or to merely ask him a question or two about humans before returning to his training. He never stayed for idle chatter, but they had formed a firm friendship as the only two demons on the team.

The volatile fire demon's rage would be ignited if he found out, and if he did indeed set out to kill Toguro and Karasu, only tragedy would ensue. Even the Black Dragon could not annihilate both of them.

_Did he want to get rid of Toguro?_

Besides, as a demon, he would not understand the human emotions that were currently dominating the demon instincts.

He would not understand why Kurama could not destroy the coat.

It was unexplainable.

Kurama himself could not give a definitive answer to that question. He only knew he cared too much about all the representations held by the garment.

For now, he would keep it. He could not casually toss it away, and Hiei was not one to go rummaging through closets anyway.

A settled expression of aloof calmness entered his face, bracing him for facing the malicious world.

The cooler air of the corridor blasted against his tender skin, refreshing after the stuffy room.

Anticipation constricted Kurama's chest even as his face remained motionless. He had missed the firm determination and profound belief in the team during Yusuke's absence.

He knocked on the suite door, the sharp sound usurping any bracing done for the encounter.

What if Yusuke suspected something?

The Spirit Detective was notoriously thickheaded much of the time, but startlingly perceptive in rare situations. On a subconscious level, he read personalities and intentions surprisingly well.

It was one of the many traits that made him such a strong combatant. Knowing an opponent's personality aided in predicting his actions, and also decided the approach taken to a fight.

But since it was all subconscious, Yusuke could not call on the knowledge to aid him. It came to him during odd moments in the fight, explaining the random flashes of brilliance and strategy he uncharacteristically displayed.

Kurama's teeth scraped his lower lip uneasily, trying to assure himself that he was overestimating the boy. No one knew him _that_ well.

It was never wise to overestimate someone. Unfortunately, it was never quite wise to underestimate someone either, and Yusuke had an uncanny knack for shocking everyone with his skill

The thick sound of the door pulling unstuck immediately tilted his down-turned head to meet the warm chocolate gaze.

"Hey Kurama!" The redhead felt his deep breath expand his rib cage before he stepped inside warily, schooling his features into a gentle expression before studying Yusuke.

Ebony strands clung damply to lightly tanned skin, stray droplets escaped from the towel that was attempting to eliminate them forming wet trails down his shoulder and spidering across his bare torso to soak into the already wet waistband of his jeans. The heavy fabric molded even more snugly than usual...

Yusuke was watching him.

Kurama looked up slowly, hoping that the down-swept bangs had hidden the path of his gaze, thankful that the slight flush was hardly noticeable against his scrub-reddened cheeks, before searching the dark eyes for any hint of what the other felt.

_Above all, that was most important._

Contentment, satisfaction, and the slightest hint of something more substantial that disappeared when Kurama stolidly stared back.

But there was none of the wantonness that he had expected to see if Karasu's claims had any foundation. The smoldering passion that Yusuke was supposed to have was markedly absent, and someone as open and hot-blooded surely could not hide such a thing, could he?

"...and I was in the shower when you knocked."

That much was obvious. What had Yusuke been saying?

He nodded his head lightly, partially wishing that some part of him had registered the constant stream of words during his distraction.

"I need a shirt," Yusuke muttered before exiting the room, calling back, "and then we'll get some food!"

Kurama blinked slowly, utterly confounded. It seemed he had missed the majority of the conversation.

Did it really matter?

Should he be relieved or disappointed that Yusuke apparently did not care like Sakyo had been led to believe?

A loud shout from the other room pushed him from his puzzlement, Yusuke yelling at Kuwabara about something inane and, more than likely, ridiculous.

He was being ridiculous. Scientific reasoning, and even basic logic, deemed that a two-minute encounter with someone was not enough to read emotions, regardless of perceptiveness.

What had happened to the Youko detachment?

_It had relented its grip as soon as it encountered friendly eyes and a welcoming grin._

Yusuke had been a friend and ally since their first meeting.

_What did the redhead want from him now?_

Kurama sighed desolately, shifting against the annoyingly cushy sofa, his hands rising to stroke through his hair as he blanked his mind to everything related to the slim-hipped Detective.

_He wanted-- no, needed-- to be touched._

Nimble hands slid down, running a slight caress along his throat in an effort to calm himself.

_Toguro's moan vibrated across the taut column of neck joining throat..._

A clumsy shudder tripped down his lower back.

_Yusuke's fingertips grazed_ _across his throat, the towel soon following the shimmering trails of water._

Tactile sensations honed to acute precision, images melding and shifting into a colored frenzy of half-recalled memories and insane little desires.

His fingers ghosted over his neck, lifting up the thick mane so the uneven tips tickled against heated, sensitive flesh.

Only an involuntary fluttering of thick lashes and the rush of air over parted lips betrayed his reaction.

The door to the boys' bedroom creaked.

Kurama yanked his hands away from himself, staring at them with disbelief and fury.

What would Yusuke think if he had seen the fulfillment that had slowly been creeping onto the fox's face?

Was he turning into a depraved monstrosity?

His face softened into a dismayed frown. The touches were not meant to be arousing...

They had not elicited any such response from him...

Then why was his skin hot, his body sensitized and shaking?

What exactly was he desiring?

Only to know that there was someone to help when he could not bear to face the world...

It was impossible.

And the knowledge that he could not have it in combination with the brief respite found in his own soothing touches had flustered him to that extent?

Shifting uncomfortably, teeth grated against the yielding softness of his lips once again as he tightly clasped his hands and lowered his head, struggling to regain the state of mind that allowed him to calmly view a situation.

It made sense.

It was horrifying.

He was a comfort-seeking semi-hedonistic animal. Over someone whose feelings were still debatable.

Indeed a very sorry situation.

Kurama sensed the energies a moment before they entered as he mutely rose to accompany them, eliminating the traces of the conflict that lined his face before forcing a smile.

"Come on, we'll be lucky if there's anything left for us!" Yusuke ushered all of them out into the hall before slamming the door shut.

"Now, Kurama, you've gotta tell me what happened!"

Kurama froze in the middle of the corridor, eyes luminously wide in fright, hands fisting in his clothes.

How in the worlds did Yusuke find out?

The casualness with which Yusuke treated it hurt him more than a sword through the stomach. Yusuke was such a tender, compassionate person underneath the crude exterior... Did he truly believe the redhead needed nobody and was totally self-sufficient?

He had thought Yusuke would care.

"Yusuke..." Kurama started, thoughts a gelatinous mass now that logic and reason had flown the coop.

_He knew--_ it played repetitively in his head--_ he knew, he knew_.

The dark-haired fighter turned back to look at him, bewilderment and anger evident in the set of large eyes and the slightly pouted mouth.

"Damn..." Yusuke ground out through clenched teeth before stalking back. "Won't anyone tell me about the semifinals? He won't," he complained with a jerk of the head towards Kuwabara, who was oddly silent, "and now you won't... I know we won, otherwise we'd all be dead, but what the hell's so bad that neither of you want to talk about it?"

The semifinals?

Yusuke had been talking about the Tournament the whole time?

A tiny, relieved laugh, almost effervescent in its qualities, bubbled up in his throat, welcome after the anxiety that had skyrocketed moments ago.

Yusuke continued to glare at Kurama, any fury waning at the soft laughter, momentarily replaced by confusion before calming into a sheepish grin.

The raven-haired boy mussed his hair with a sideways glance to Kurama. "I guess I got carried away, ranting over something that's already done, but damnit, I've been gone for a while, and I'm the fucking team captain! I'm supposed to know!"

Kurama's lips quirked into a tiny grin. "Don't worry, I have no qualms about telling you. Nothing went drastically wrong, and we did eventually win."

"Then why do you?" Yusuke directed the question to the sulking Kuwabara, accompanying it with a shove.

"Maybe because he lost?" Kurama offered.

Yusuke scowled at Kuwabara again. "But you weren't like this after you lost the fight in the first round..."

"Twice," Kurama amended, watching the taller boy's face mottle with embarrassment.

"I see," he said with a smirk, turning to Kuwabara. "You're moping. How the hell did you lose two battles in one round?"

Kurama ignored the childish name-calling antics that ensued, his tortured body falling behind, disagreeing with the mental insistence that he walk with the same lengthy, graceful stride that he always used.

The reception area of the hotel was lovely, the curved glass roof allowing the sunlight to bathe the breakfast buffet area with a muted glow.

A shiver seized his back as numerous eyes fixed on them, coolly assessing the Dark Tournament's finalists. His other two teammates were unaware of the murmurs that echoed through the few spectators and former teams that had risen early. He was not so blissfully lucky.

Other demons looked only at him, lust evident in the hungry stares that traveled down his body, following the elegantly angular facial features, the smooth slope of chest tapering to a small waist, the dainty swell of hips flowing through to lean, muscled legs and finely turned feet.

The redhead cringed away. Their stares penetrated the safety found in the other two's company, leaving him vulnerable and exposed.

_As he had been left the prior night._

Glistening green eyes raced, panicking at the lust that surrounded him, cloying in its abundance. They wanted him. They wanted to have the delicate figure surrender to them, his life in their hands as they used him to satisfy their fantasies.

Imperceptibly, the willowy figure of the fox inched closer to the two boys who were still exchanging insults, seeking their physical presence as the mental barriers fractured under the malicious desires to weaken him, take away his spirit, and leave him in splinters.

A large, grotesque demon seated at the bar drunkenly watched the small group pass, wantonly regarding the redhead before stumbling out of his seat.

Scaly, clawed hands reached for the silk-clad arms of the kitsune. He avoided it instinctively, but his movements were arrested by the lusty overtones as soon as he saw the face...

_Violet, lust-filled eyes distorted to his vision by tears advanced towards him, silkily smug threats forcing him into sobbing submission._

His gaze averted as the demon advanced, unable to move as his feet were rooted to the ground by memories.

Enraged chocolate eyes stared at him before he felt the warm grip on his arm and he was tugged away.

"Damn you!" Yusuke spat angrily before punching the drunken creature unconscious.

His breathing evened out. What would have happened if Yusuke had not been there?

He silently thanked Yusuke, knowing everything was lost if he failed to explain his way out of this one. Kurama's arm pulsed where the surprisingly large hand encircled his wrist as Yusuke forcefully steered him past the mostly empty booths to a large corner table.

Kurama stumbled into the chair across from Kuwabara, head snapping backward to meet the accusing glare. The furor had given his eyes a reddish tint, making them a luminescent shade of mahogany embossed with an amber overtone.

"Okay, Kurama, what's going on? I mean, you could have gotten rid of that thing with one hit, but you froze. Why?" His voice was curiously strained, immediately drawing Kurama's search for something that would divulge anything more than friendship.

It was uncertain, the blend of barely-muted rage and worry completely dominating.

Scarlet bangs hid his eyes as he searched for a plausible excuse. Something simple that Yusuke would accept.

A weary, yet bright smile curved his lips, his head rising to meet Yusuke. "I was up late last night, rethinking my strategies after seeing them fight yesterday, and I was feeling a bit unwell this morning. I was dizzy when he came up to me-- I barely even saw him."

Yusuke's scrutinizing gaze swept over the innocent tilt of his face, looking unconvinced.

Kurama further widened his eyes, magnifying the innocence, hoping that it masked the pleading desperation. He did not like to lie, but situations often called for a pinch of devious behavior. This one always worked on his mother...

The other boy seemed to reluctantly accept the explanation. "So that's why you weren't up at the crack of dawn training with Hiei," he muttered, the anger thankfully dissipating. "Will you be okay?" Worry-- about him-- glittered in the depths of the dark eyes, and Kuwabara echoed the sentiment, suggesting that he retire to bed.

Yusuke really did have passionate eyes, open to display all his emotions from anger to caring. So straightforward...

Unlike him. Out of habit, Kurama suppressed the twinge of guilt. He had to lie so much to people who really cared about him... his mother, and now the rest of the Reikai Tantei.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I can't afford to waste time because of a silly illness. I need the training."

The redhead tossed back his hair, rising to his feet stiffly, hands inconspicuously clenching. Yusuke had practically thrown him into the chair in his distressed anger, and now the already abused nerves were further fussing over being suddenly slammed against a hard surface.

Yusuke really had no conception of his own strength when he was emotional.

"True," Yusuke said, "but there's still time before the finals. Remember, you owe me a nice, long description of the semifinals when I get back. I can't think without food!"

Kuwabara shrugged before taking off at the heels of the other.

A tiny smile touched his lips as he followed, quickly returning with only a cup of jasmine green tea.

Seating himself slowly, he took a small sip, the jasmine scent working its relaxing charm, allowing him to focus on something beside the present mess

Dark foliage surrounded the entire courtyard, tree limbs extending to the glowing sunlight in a symbol of deference. Clusters of flowers created splotches of color pleasing to the eye. He reached out to graze one of the flowering bushes, a pleased sound murmured when the Fuchsia flowers entwined with his hand before he withdrew.

The silence was splintered by his two companion's return to the table, laden with huge piles of food. The aroma twisted his stomach.

_Bitter salt filled Kurama's mouth and throat and he was forced to swallow frantically..._

The tea sloshed as it was quickly brought to his mouth, the rapid action drawing Yusuke's attention. The salty taste was easily recalled, causing a muffled choke against the teacup.

"You all right, Kurama? You looked like you were choking," said the Spirit Detective, his voice warped by the huge amount of greasy sausages stuffed into his mouth.

"I'm fine," the redhead said softly, before abruptly starting his narrative of the semifinals, barely audible among the loud conversations.

Changing the subject was always a viable way to avoid something.

A hush draped the room suddenly, attracting the stares of most creatures after the memorable display during the Toguro team semifinals.

The narrow, smug face of the demon searched across the area, smirking upon finding the treasure he had claimed.

The mask shifted into place, weak after the agitation that had constantly been nibbling at him since rising. Kurama found his emotionless front devoured by the hungry look in the planes of that face, leaving only hatred and the urge to curl fetally and whimper like a beaten beast.

He tore away from that never blinking gaze, staring down at the steaming teacup.

Karasu never even wavered.

The fox demon was unable to prevent himself from looking up when a table close to theirs squeaked. Thankfully, Kuwabara and Yusuke were too occupied with discussing the Toguro team to notice his reaction

The enormity of large eyes rendered Kurama's face waif-like. Hatred, fear, disgust, horror, and a multitude of others shone forth from the emerald depths.

And then he saw the lavender sash carelessly thrown around the crow's neck.

_The same lavender sash that had been around his waist the previous night._

Karasu smirked at the recognition in Kurama's face.

Horror spread through Kurama's system. _They had the torn clothes from yesterday._

_They had physical proof._

Trembling hands brought the teacup to his lips in a conscious effort to calm himself and ignore the other demon.

Long fingers stroked through the sash, dragging his lips across the silkiness in a conspicuously sensual gesture, hoping to further play with the boy.

His hands shook again. The teacup fell onto Yusuke's lap, burning him. The boy immediately jumped up with a string of curses, knocking the table over onto Kuwabara, who was soon loaded with sausages, eggs, and almost every other breakfast good.

Kurama's small form filled with mirth almost hysterically, eyes glimmering with laughter as the two of them fled.

The hysterics ceased when he sensed the wanton gaze on his head.

He was alone.

The demon quickly rose from the chair, stroking the sash like a pet as he glided towards Kurama.

Kurama cringed away, fearing the demon, and knowing that he was almost powerless.

The beautiful crow just walked past him and out of the breakfast area as Kurama looked on in disbelief.

Karasu hadn't done anything? Why?

And he noted the small sheet of paper in his hand that had suddenly appeared.

_Meet me tonight- 11 PM, Courtyard. Alone. Or Urameshi finds out._

---

That's it for the second chapter. I haven't slept in the past three days because I wanted to finish it before I left, so I apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors. I'll probably fix them either today or when I get back.

Please Review! I want to know what all of you think of this chapter since I don't think it's very good. And that's annoying, considering the amount of time it took to write.


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